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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: march · prune · mouse · leaves · content · pound · bank · sharp

  1. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. pound — a weight
  2. march — the month
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. prune — to trim
  7. bank — of a river
  8. march — music
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. pound — to hit hard
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. sharp — clever
  15. march — the month
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. content — the amount
  22. prune — to trim
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. content — happy

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com